Tonbridge Angels 3-2 Cray Wanderers - We made hard work of it, admits Warrilow

Tuesday 09th February 2010

TONBRIDGE ANGELS 3-2 CRAY WANDERERS
Ryman Premier League
Tuesday 9th February 2010
Stephen McCartney reports from Longmead Stadium

UNDER-FIRE Tonbridge Angels boss Tommy Warrilow was a relieved man after his side took three of their numerous chances to end Cray Wanderers’ four-match unbeaten run.

The Angels leapfrogged over Billericay Town into 18th place in the Ryman Premier League table with their eighth league win of a frustrating campaign, but they almost rued missing many goalscoring chances against a Cray Wanderers side that fought back from being two-goals down at the break with only ten-men, to level with eleven minutes remaining.

A rare right-footed strike from Kirk Watts gave the home side the lead, before Marc Cumberbatch doubled their advantage with the first of his two headed goals, after Cray Wanderers midfielder Tommy Tyne picked up his second yellow card of the night, against his former club.

But Cray Wanderers showed their resolve and pulled a goal back through striker Leigh Bremner’s ninth goal of the season and levelled with eleven minutes remaining, courtesy of penalty expert Colin Luckett, a penalty won by a marvellous box-to-box run from talented teenager George Porter.

But Cumberbatch was to be Tonbridge’s hero as his header from another set-piece gave the home side a morale boosting win, thus ending their run of eight league games without a win.

Warrilow’s injury crisis worsened as defender Scott Gooding was seen at the ground on crutches due to a knee ligament injury, and Tom Bryant is expected to be out for up to six-weeks with an ankle ligament injury. Full-back Jon Heath, meanwhile, underwent some training tonight and could be fit enough for Saturday’s home clash against league leaders Dartford if he comes through training on Thursday night.

Cray Wanderers boss Ian Jenkins, meanwhile, made one change from Saturday’s 1-0 home win over AFC Hornchurch, as Porter relegated Dean Standen to the bench.

Cray Wanderers created a couple of early half-chances with Luckett looping a 30-yard free-kick just over Lee Worgan’s crossbar and Bremner heading Ross Lover’s cross wide.

But Tonbridge Angels began to dominate and squandered some excellent chances to win the game outright during the first half.

A move involving Paul Booth and Jamie Cade ended in Lee Minshull centering for Booth, who slammed a low right-footed drive past the post.

But Tonbridge Angels took the lead after 21 minutes, through Watts’ first goal of the season at the 31st attempt.

Visiting skipper, central defender Mark Willy, tried in vain to cut out a through ball for the lively Sam Long down the right and the youngster burst forward and cut inside before sliding the ball behind Cade inside the penalty area, but Watts had made a late run into the penalty area at the far post and looped a right-footed shot high into the roof of the net from eight-yards out.

Cray almost levelled just five minutes later when an excellent cross from right-back Lover was met by a glancing header from pint-sized striker Marcus Cassius, but a diving Worgan tipped the ball onto the post.

Tonbridge had a second goal ruled out on the half-hour mark when a slick move involving Cade and Minshull released Long and his low centre deflected off a defender and bounced off the foot of the post and Long slammed the ball into the net from two-yards out, albeit from an offside position.

Another chance went begging for Tonbridge when Cade’s hooked pass once again released Long and his low centre across goal for Watts, but the balding winger lifted the ball against the underside of the crossbar, this time with his left-foot, from just six-yards out.

Cassius - who scored 44 goals for Kent League side Erith Town last season, before Bromley paid £3,000 to sign him in the summer, before being loaned out to Cray Wanderers recently - was denied by a low save from Worgan, before it got worse for the visiting side.

On the stroke of half-time Tyne (who picked up his first booking for a foul on Minshull), collected his second yellow card for a lunge on his former Cray team-mate, Scott Kinch, which sparked a heated confrontation between several players.

Whilst Tyne was inside the dressing room having an early shower, his side conceded a second goal.

Long swung in an expertly-taken corner from the left and Cumberbatch was left unchallenged to head down and in from six-yards at the far post.

Eighteen-year-old keeper, Pat Brennan, twice denied Minshull with powerfully hit drives on the run, before Cray Wanderers stunned a disappointing low Longmead crowd, by pulling a goal back in the 57th minute.

A poor back pass from Kinch let in Bremner, who burst past central defender Sonny Miles and slotted the ball past the exposed Worgan to find the bottom left-hand corner from eight-yards.

A low Paul Booth drive was then saved by Brennan, before Watts fired against the foot of the near post, before Cray Wanderers pulled it out of the bag.

The Wands dealt with Long’s poorly taken free-kick and Porter began his run from the edge of his penalty area and continued to the opposite end of the pitch, where he’s progress was ended by a clumsy tackle from right-back Phil Starkey, just a yard inside the box.

Up-stepped Luckett to rifle an excellent left-footed penalty high into the roof of the net, over a diving Worgan as Jenkins’ side looked favourites to continue their unbeaten run.

However, there was a mixture of emotions from both camps as the game turned in the home side’s favour, when the Angels scored the winner with just five minutes of an exciting game remaining.

Watt’s lofted a left-footed free-kick into the penalty area and Cumberbatch met this with a downward header, which gave the teenage keeper no chance as the ball bounced into the far corner.

Angels boss Warrilow felt his side deserved to claim a crucial three-points.

“Well, the longer it went on we weren’t enjoying it because we should’ve been out of sight,” he told www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

“Again, it was very similar to the game at Cray. The football wasn’t as fluent but I lost count of the amount of chances that we created and we really should’ve been out of sight.

“Again, it’s come back to haunt us a little bit, but I think we thoroughly deserved the win so no complaints in that department, but it should have been done and dusted.”

Warrilow admitted that his side made hard work of tonight’s game, especially when Bremner pulled a goal back.

“It was from our mistake!” reflected the manager. “Brems’ got it, that’s what Bremns can do, he’s a good finisher and at 2-0 we always say the next goal is important. It gives them a lift and what do we do? We go into our shell!

“We had a few more chances after that before they’ve broke from our free-kick for a penalty but the most important thing tonight was to get the win.

“I’ve just said to the boys we’ve made hard work of that. It should have been a lot more goals than three!”

Warrilow was pleased with Long’s performance out on the right hand side. Long has good credentials, having played nine Blue Square Premier games for both Grays Athletic and Histon before the turn of the New Year.

“I’ve got a house next door to Sam that we’re renting out at the moment so I’ve been speaking to his dad,” explained Warrilow.

“He’s not doing nothing at the moment, I know he’s trying to find his feet after just coming out from Charlton.

“He went to Gillingham pre-season and he was unfortunate there and he went off to Grays and done the rounds at Histon and Ebbsfleet.

“Tonight he showed little glimpses of what he can do. If he can help us out and we can help him out then great!”

The Cray Wanderers camp, meanwhile, were very disappointed that they let a point slip out of their grasp, when they did all the hard work coming back from 2-0 down with only ten men on the pitch.

“Really disappointed, because you work your b*****ks off to get back into the game,” assistant manager Joe Francis told www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

“To concede a really sloppy, rubbish goal from a set-piece that’s lofted in (from Watts). We didn’t defend well all night and all the players that play in those positions admit that.

“We’ve defended superbly for four games, four clean sheets and we were off tonight. We were off defensively!

“We’ve said in there, if you were to play 500 games, there’s probably half a dozen times in your career when you are in that position and you can either say to yourselves the games over or do what we did second half and try and pick them off.

“The two goals that we’ve scored, they were outstanding because Brems’ (Bremner) finish was exemplary and George’s run for the (penalty) goal was unbelievable! He can do that! He’s a talented boy!”

Despite all things appearing lost at half-time, Francis was pleased with the character shown from the side.

“You’re always going to get a chance and you’ve always going to get a chance at 2-1!” he said. You’re always in the game aren’t you? Then you’ve got to be disciplined.”

Luckett’s seventh goal of the season was to be their reward for their comeback - before Cumberbatch had other ideas.

“We’re happy with a point, specifically being 2-0 down at half-time and also in that respect it keeps the unbeaten run going,” said Francis.

“But we’ve come away from here like we came away from Wealdstone, the wrong side of a result and countless other games where we’ve lost by the odd goal.

“A point in this league, away from home, is a good point, especially even down here with Tonbridge being short of a couple of players - we were as well.”

Francis, meanwhile, admitted he had no complaints over Tyne’s two yellow cards.

He said: “Tommy’s wholehearted and he’ll make challenges but it was a genuine attempt to get the ball, the second one. It was a booking, but you could say the first one perhaps if the foul had been given on Leigh straight away then he wouldn’t have made the second challenge, so no complaints there.”

Tonbridge Angels: Lee Worgan, Phil Starkey, Liam Harwood, Lee Minshull, Sonny Miles, Marc Cumberbatch, Sam Long, Scott Kinch, Jamie Cade (Akwasi Edusei 90), Paul Booth, Kirk Watts.
Subs: Paul Butler, Liam Baker, Luke Blewden.

Goals: Kirk Watts 21, Marc Cumberbatch 45, 85

Booked: Scott Kinch 29, Lee Minshull 42, Sam Long 66, Phil Starkey 67

Cray Wanderers: Pat Brennan, Ross Lover, Colin Luckett (Dean Carpenter 82), Rob Quinn, Mark Willy, Aaron Day (Steve Aris 67), George Porter, Tommy Tyne, Leigh Bremner, Marcus Cassius, Jamie Wood.
Subs: Lewis Wood, Dean Standen, Ian Jenkins.

Goals: Leigh Bremner 57, Colin Luckett 79 (pen)

Booked: Tommy Tyne 29, Rob Quinn 33, Dean Carpenter 83

Sent off: Tommy Tyne 45

Attendance: 220
Referee: Mr Martin Yerby (Ashford)
Assistants: Mr Simon Finnigan (Maidstone) & Mr Elad Amir (Maidstone)